Health, Fitness & Personal Growth Tips for Women in Midlife: Asking for a Friend

Emotional eating isn’t about willpower — and for many women, midlife is when it finally becomes impossible to ignore.
In this powerful episode of Asking for a Friend, Michele Folan sits down with emotional eating expert, TEDx speaker, and bestselling author Tricia Nelson to unpack what emotional eating really is, why it intensifies during midlife and menopause, and how women can finally break free from decades of dieting, shame, and self-blame.
Tricia shares her deeply personal story — from childhood emotional eating and binge drinking to sobriety at 21 — and explains why food is often used as a coping mechanism for stress, unprocessed emotions, people-pleasing, perfectionism, and burnout. Together, Michele and Tricia explore how hormonal shifts, caregiving roles, identity changes, and boundary struggles collide in midlife, making emotional eating patterns louder and harder to manage.
This conversation goes far beyond food rules and meal plans. You’ll learn how emotional eating shows up as pain-killing, escape, and self-punishment, why dieting alone never solves the problem, and what it actually takes to heal your relationship with food — without restriction, guilt, or obsession. Tricia also addresses the misunderstood link between emotional eating, addiction, alcohol, and highly processed foods, and explains why healing requires addressing emotions, stress, and daily habits together.
If you’ve ever felt stuck in a cycle of “doing everything right” but still struggling with food, weight, or self-trust — this episode will feel like someone finally put words to your experience.
Tricia is the author of Heal Your Hunger and founder of Heal Your Hunger, a proven program helping women end emotional eating by addressing the root causes — not just the symptoms.
🎧 If you’re ready for a more compassionate, sustainable path forward with food, this episode is a must-listen.
Take the quiz - https://healyourhunger.com/quiz-splash/?nav=yes
Free live masterclass with Tricia Nelson on January 29th at 2:30pm PT / 5:30pm ET, focused on helping women stop emotional and binge eating around sugar in a sustainable, compassionate way.
Here is the link to join - https://go.healyourhunger.com/stop-sugar-bingeing?am_id=michele6703
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If you’re doing “all the right things” and still feel stuck, adding a layer of support may be an option. I’ve partnered with a trusted telehealth platform offering modern solutions for women in midlife—including micro-dosed GLP-1 and other peptide therapies.
https://elliemd.com/michelefolan - Create a free account to view all products.
1:1 and group Midlife Health and Longevity Coaching mailto:[email protected]
Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/askingforafriend_pod/
✨ Sign up for my weekly newsletter:
https://michelefolanfasterway.myflodesk.com/i6i44jw4fq
Transcripts are created with AI and may not be perfectly accurate.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional healthcare services. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.

Clutter in midlife affects more than your home—it impacts stress, mental health, and how you show up for your next chapter.
In this episode of Asking for a Friend, Michele Folan is joined by Tracy Hoth, a professional organizer with 17 years of experience, a science-based life coach, and host of the Organized Coach Podcast.
Together, they explore why clutter feels heavier in midlife—and why it’s not just about “too much stuff.” As hormones shift and life transitions pile up, postponed decisions, emotional attachments, and changing identities can quietly increase stress, overwhelm, and decision fatigue.
This conversation dives into:
How clutter impacts cortisol, mental health, and energy levels
Why women feel clutter-related stress more deeply in midlife
Empty nesting, downsizing, and merging households
Letting go of kids’ belongings and family items without guilt
Why your children don’t want your stuff—and how to release it anyway
Navigating different clutter tolerances in relationships
Simple, realistic ways to start decluttering without perfection or overwhelm
This episode is not about Pinterest pantries or minimalism for the sake of aesthetics. It’s about clarity, freedom, and creating physical and emotional space for the life you want to live next.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed in your own home but couldn’t quite explain why—this conversation will resonate.
You can find Tracy Hoth at: https://simplysquaredaway.com/
Podcast: https://simplysquaredaway.com/podcast/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/tracyhoth
Get the 15-minuteDeclutterChallenge: 
http://simplysquaredaway.com/declutter
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If you’re doing “all the right things” and still feel stuck, adding a layer of support may be an option. I’ve partnered with a trusted telehealth platform offering modern solutions for women in midlife—including micro-dosed GLP-1 and other peptide therapies.
https://elliemd.com/michelefolan - Create a free account to view all products.
1:1 and group Midlife Health and Longevity Coaching mailto:[email protected]
Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/askingforafriend_pod/
✨ Sign up for my weekly newsletter:
https://michelefolanfasterway.myflodesk.com/i6i44jw4fq
Transcripts are created with AI and may not be perfectly accurate.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional healthcare services. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.

If you’re a midlife woman who feels like you’re doing everything right — lifting weights, eating well, walking, managing stress — and your body still isn’t responding, this episode is for you.
In this powerful, myth-busting conversation, I’m joined by Dr. Rocio Salas-Whalen, a triple board-certified endocrinologist, obesity medicine specialist, author, and early adopter of GLP-1 therapies in the U.S. Dr. Salas-Whalen helps us understand why weight gain in midlife is not a willpower problem — it’s a biology problem.
We break down:
Why midlife metabolism changes so dramatically during perimenopause and menopause
How GLP-1 medications actually work (in plain English)
Why muscle is the true organ of longevity — and how to protect it while using GLP-1s
The truth about side effects like hair loss, nausea, and “Ozempic face”
Microdosing vs. full dosing, long-term use, and what’s coming next in obesity medicine
Why shame-based weight loss advice is outdated — and harmful
We also talk about Dr. Salas-Whalen’s new book, Weightless, a science-backed, compassionate guide to GLP-1 medications and metabolic health that validates what so many women have experienced for decades. You can find Weightless wherever books are sold.
This episode is about options, not pressure. Facts, not fear. And building health for the long game.
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/drsalaswhalen/
Website https://www.nyendocrinology.com/

_________________________________________
If you’re doing “all the right things” and still feel stuck, adding a layer of support may be an option. I’ve partnered with a trusted telehealth platform offering modern solutions for women in midlife—including micro-dosed GLP-1 and other peptide therapies.
https://elliemd.com/michelefolan - Create a free account to view all products.
1:1 and group Midlife Health and Longevity Coaching mailto:[email protected]
Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/askingforafriend_pod/
✨ Sign up for my weekly newsletter:
https://michelefolanfasterway.myflodesk.com/i6i44jw4fq
Transcripts are created with AI and may not be perfectly accurate.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional healthcare services. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.

Midlife fitness for women 45+ is not about trying harder—it’s about training smarter for perimenopause and menopause physiology. In this powerhouse episode of Asking for a Friend, host Michele Folan sits down with Dr. Stacy Sims—exercise physiologist, TEDx speaker behind “Women Are Not Small Men,” and author of ROAR and Next Level—to break down exactly why your old workouts and “eat less, do more cardio” strategies stop working in midlife… and what to do instead.
We get practical (and refreshingly no-BS) about the real midlife playbook:
Why estrogen shifts change metabolism, muscle power, recovery, and body composition
Why heavy lifting matters (and why it won’t make you “bulky”)
The difference between HIIT vs. Sprint Interval Training (SIT)—and why many “HIIT classes” aren’t actually HIIT
Where Zone 2 fits (and why it’s great for mental health, but not your best lever for optimization)
The truth about fasted workouts and intermittent fasting for women—and how it can backfire on appetite, cravings, energy, and sleep
How to think about protein needs in midlife (including the “1 gram per pound” conversation and how to distribute it)
Why creatine is having a moment (brain, muscle, mood, performance, and aging)—and what dosing typically looks like
Recovery upgrades in perimenopause/menopause: sleep, mobility, heat/sauna (and why cold plunge isn’t a one-size-fits-all tool for women)
Why testing and metrics like DEXA (bone density + body comp) and VO2 max can be useful for longevity-focused women
If you’ve been standing in your kitchen wondering where your “30-year-old metabolism” went—and why you can’t out-discipline midlife hormones—this episode will give you clarity, strategy, and a realistic path forward.
You can find her newsletter and blog at:
 https://www.drstacysims.com/ 
You can receive 15% off her online courses at https://www.drstacysims.com/product_guide using the code DRSTACYSIMS15OFF
https://www.instagram.com/drstacysims
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPD55VPa1ZWx1a_nzWC2VJA
_________________________________________
If you’re doing “all the right things” and still feel stuck, adding a layer of support may be an option. I’ve partnered with a trusted telehealth platform offering modern solutions for women in midlife—including micro-dosed GLP-1 and other peptide therapies.
https://elliemd.com/michelefolan - Create a free account to view all products.
1:1 and group Midlife Health and Longevity Coaching mailto:[email protected]
Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/askingforafriend_pod/
✨ Sign up for my weekly newsletter:
https://michelefolanfasterway.myflodesk.com/i6i44jw4fq
Transcripts are created with AI and may not be perfectly accurate.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional healthcare services. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.

If you care about protein quality, metabolic health, inflammation, and long-term strength, this episode will change the way you shop for meat.
On this episode of Asking for a Friend, Michele Folan pulls back the curtain on the modern meat industry with Cloe Parker, CEO of Parker Pastures, to expose the truth behind misleading meat labels—and why most consumers are unknowingly getting it wrong.
Cloe explains what labels like grass-fed, grass-finished, organic, and Product of the USA really mean—and why up to 85% of grass-fed beef is imported, yet still legally labeled as American. You’ll learn how conventional feedlot practices affect omega-3 to omega-6 ratios, inflammation, nutrient density, and overall protein quality—especially important for women focused on muscle preservation, bone health, and longevity.
In this episode, we cover:
Grass-fed vs grass-finished: what actually matters
How grain-fed meat impacts inflammation and metabolic health
Glyphosate, pesticides, and contaminants in conventional meat
Why protein quality matters more than quantity
The truth about chicken, pork, and beef sourcing
How to shop smarter without chasing perfection
Why food choices today impact strength, mobility, and independence later in life
Cloe also shares her powerful personal story—stepping into leadership of her family ranch after losing her mother—and how that loss shaped her mission to provide food that heals instead of harms.
This conversation isn’t about fear or food rules. It’s about making informed choices that support strength, energy, and health for decades to come.
🎧 Listen now and learn what your meat label isn’t telling you—and how to choose protein that actually supports your body.
https://parkerpastures.com/
Follow Cloe Parker on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/parkerpasturesgrassfed/
_________________________________________
If you’re doing “all the right things” and still feel stuck, adding a layer of support may be an option. I’ve partnered with a trusted telehealth platform offering modern solutions for women in midlife—including micro-dosed GLP-1 and other peptide therapies.
https://elliemd.com/michelefolan - Create a free account to view all products.
1:1 and group Midlife Health and Longevity Coaching mailto:[email protected]
Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/askingforafriend_pod/
✨ Sign up for my weekly newsletter:
https://michelefolanfasterway.myflodesk.com/i6i44jw4fq
Transcripts are created with AI and may not be perfectly accurate.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional healthcare services. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.